Driving mechanism for motor vehicles



Oct. 13 1925. 1,556,706

A. MOORHOUSE Y DRIVIKG MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed June 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 13, 92 1,556,766

A. MOORHOUSE DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Fil ed June 26, 1920 2Sheets-Shet 2 Motor Vehicles, of'which the following is a Patented Oct.13, 1925. b

v v 1,556,706 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED MOORHOUSE, OF DETROTT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR GARCOMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

DRIVING MECHANTSM FOR MQTOR VEHICLES.

- Application filed June 26, 1920. Serial No. 391,988.

To all whom it may concern The inner end of the extension 12 of the Beit; known that I, ALFRED MOORHOUSE, crankshaft is provided with alaterally of:- a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident tendingflange 24, to which is secured by of Detroit Wayne County, State ofMich-imeans of 'sultable bolts 25 a flywheel 26. ganha've inventedcertain new and useful This flywheel constitutesone of the clutchImprovements in Driving Mechanism for members, and has formed on itsperi hery specification. a v which is secured by'means of bolts 28 acover TlllS invention relates to motor vehicles, plate 29. The flywheelhas 'also formed more partlcularly to the clutch mechanism thereon afriction surface 30 which is enthereof, and it has for one of itsobjects to gaged by a ring 31 preferably of fibre.

provide improved means for efficiently lu- The other clutch member whichtransmits a longitudinally extending flange 2 to bricating "the bearingsof such clutch mech-. the motion of the fly wheel to the power anism.transmission shaft comprises a disk 32 car- Another object of theinvention is to prorled by a clutch sleeve 33, the latter being vldemeans for returning to its source any rotatably mounted on bushings 22and 34,

excess lubricant supplied to the bearings of which in turn are carriedby the extension such clutch mechanism. -12 of the crankshaft.

Further objects of the invention will ap- A second clutch ring 35 alsopreferably pear from the followin specification taken formed of fibre,engages the opposite side in connection with the rawings which form ofthe clutch disk 32 from the rmg 31, the a part of this application, andin which: rings 31 and 35 and disk 32 being normally -Fig. 1' is asectional view of a friction forced in a direction toward the flywheelclutch constructed in accordance with my by means of a plurality of coilsprings 36, invention; and each of which engages at one end of the Fig,2 is an iregula r sectional view taken spring a pocket 37 formed on apresser plate at right angles to Fig. 1 and substantially 38 and at itsopposite end the cover 29.

on line 22 of Fig. 1., The cover plate 29 is provided with a plu- In theembodiment of the invention illusrality of bosses 39 upon which theouter trated the friction clutch mechanism has ends of the springs 36seat.

been shown as mounted upon a crankshaft. From the above description itwill be 10 of the motor vehicle, a portion 11 of the unders ood that thesprings 36 normally hold tension 12.

crankcase being also illustrated in Fig. 1. the clutch members inoperative or wer The crankshaft 10 is hollow in constructiontransmitting position, and means, whic will and is provided at one endwith an extension now be described, has been provided for 12 having abore 13 slightly smaller in secreleasing the clutch members from thetention than the bore of the main portion of the sion of the springs 36,or in other words, crankshaft, the bore 13 being closed at its fromoperative position. This means comends bylmeans of disks 14,- thesedisks being prises a plurality of levers 40, each. of which, securedtogether by means of a bolt 15. as illustrated in Fig. 2, is pivotedbetween The crankshaft 10 is lubricated by-means of a pair of oifset oroutwardly extending lugls a plurality of conduits 16, one of which is 41Carried y the Pr r Blate 9 shown, these conduits connecting an oil ofthe levers 40 is provided lntermedlate 1ts manifold 17 with the bearing18 of the ends with a pair of oppositely extending crankshaft, and theoil being conducted lugs 42 which coact with adjacent outwardly throughuitable radial aipertures '19 to the projecting lugs or portions 43 onthepresser interior of bushings 20. rom the end bearplate, the lugs 43guiding the levers 1n their ing of the crankshaft oil is conducted tothe movement and assisting 1n securing the interior or here 13 of theextension 12 levers a ainst lateral strain.

through a radial-aperture 21, and is con- In or er to control the'SBIl'sltlVGIlQSS of the ducted from the bore 13 to bushing 22 by clutchreleasing mechanism, or H1 other means of an o ening 23 formed, in theex words, to determine the point at which this i1 may be supplied underreleasing mechanism becomes effective to withdraw the clutch elementsfrom o erative pressure to the manifold 17 in' the usual I position, Ihave provided an ad uSta 1e fulway.

crum member for each of the levers 40. Each ofthe fulcrum memberscomprises a longitudinally movable pin 44, having a portion 45 at oneend slidable in a transverse opening 46 formed in the fly-wheel 26. Eachpin 44 has also intermediate its ends an enlarged portion 47, and at itsend opposite the portion 45 there is provided a screw threaded portion48. The screw threaded portions of the pins 44 are ongaged by nuts 49having laterally extending flanges 50, these flanges being provided witha plurality of depressions 51 arranged concentrically with respect tothe axis of rotation of the nuts 49. The depressions 51 are engaged byplungers 52 slidably mounted in the flange 27 of the flywheel andextending through openings in plate 29, and actuated by springs 53.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the position ofadjustment of the nuts 49 determines the position of the pins 44 in theflywheel 26, and it will also be seen that the nuts 49 are held inadjusted position automatically by means of the spring pressed plungers52.

Each of the levers 40 is bifurcated as shown at 54 in Fig. 2, thesebifurcations being disposed on opposite sides of the screw threadedportion 48 of the pin and being adapted to engage the enlarged portion47 of the pin.

The opposite ends of the levers 40 are disposed within alongitudinally-movable shifting member 55, this member having at one enda channel 56 in which the ends of the levers 40 are positioned. In--this instance the shifting member 55 is formed ,in two sections'57 and58, these sections being secured together by means of bolts 59 whichengage flanges 60 formed on the sections 57 and 58.

The sections 57 and 58 also are offset form,

ing a channel 61 extendin in a direction opposite to the channel 56, t echannel 61 having disposed therein thrust or clutch release bearingmembers 62. These bearing members are engaged by laterally extendingflanges 63 formed on a sleeve 64, the latter being rotatably andslidably mounted on bushings 65, which in turn are mounted on the clutchsleeve 33. Suitable packing members 66 are enclosed within the channel61 to prevent the escape'of lubricant.

The sleeve 64 is moved longitudinally with respect to the clutcl sleeve33 by means of a yoke 66' of the usual construction, this voke beingactuated by means of a foot pedal 67, and the inner end of the yokebeing ositioned in a channel formed between a ange '68 formed on acollar 69 and the flange formed by one end of the section 58 of thelever controlling member 55. The collar 69 is secured to the sleeve 64by 1115551118 of a screw threaded engagement there- W1 The clutch sleeve33 is extended as shown at 7 0, this extension having splined thereto,as shown at 71, a universal joint72, power being transmitted throughthis joint to a transmission shaft 73.

In the previous description I have explained the method bywhich'lubricant is conducted to the bushings 22 from the interior'13 ofthe crankshaft extension 12. In order to conduct this lubricant to thebushings 65, the clutch sleeve 33 is provided with a transverselyextending aperture 74, and the sleeve 64 is also provided with anopening 75 to conduct the lubricant to the thrust bearing members 62.

The clutch sleeve 33 is flared as shown at 76, this flared end beinpositioned within an inwardly extending ange 77 formed on the flange 24of the crankshaft. From the showing in Fig. 1 it will be evident thatlubricant will be discharged by the flared end 76 of the sleeve into apocketformedby the flange 77, and the crankshaft has formed thereina'plurality of inclined bores or openings 78 which conduct the lubricantfrom this pocket to a pocket 79 formed in the crankcase, whence it isconducted through openings 80 back into' the crankcase.

The clutch mechanism is enclosed in a case the cover plate 29 and thepresser plate 38.

In order to release the clutch pressure is exerted on the foot pedal 67and this pressure is communicated through the flanged collar 69, sleeve64 and clutch shifting member 55 to the lovers 40. The outer ends 54 ofthe levers being seated on the portions 47 of the pins 44, it will beevident'that inasmuch as these end portions cannot move, a movement ofthe opposite end portions which are seated in the channel 56 willnecessarily cause the pivots of the lovers to move, thereby causing amovement of the presser plate which carries these pivots away from theclutch elements against the tension of the springs 36. By adjusting thepositions of the pins 44 the action of the levers can be controlled.

The clutch elements are lubricated as follows Oil is transmitted fromthe pressure manifold 17 through conduit 16 to the end crankshaftbearing and from this bearing through openings 19 and 21 to the interior13 of the crankshaft extension 12. From the interior 13 of theextension, oil is conducted by means of the radial openings described todent that a simple, practical and efiicient mounting for the clutchmembers has been provided, and moreover, a construction permittingadjustment of the elements and the proper lubrication of the rotatingparts.

Although I have in the above specification described one specificembodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention iscapable of modification, and that modifications and changes in theconstruction and in the arrangement of the cooperating parts may be madeWithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as expressedin the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is: Y

1. In combination, a crankcase, a crankshaft journaled therein, meansfor conducting lubricant to the bearings of said crankshaft, a clutchmember secured to said shaft, a clutch sleeve rotatably mounted on saidcrankshaft and having a clutch'member secured thereto, and means forconducting lubricant from the b'earin of said crankshaft to the bearingof sai sleeve upon said crankshaft.

2. In combination, a hollow drive shaft adapted to contain lubricant, aclutch member secured thereto, a second clutch member including a sleevejournaled on said shaft,

means including a shifting member mounted on said sleeve for controllingsaid second clutch member, and means to conduct lubricant from thehollow drive shaft to the sleeve and to the shifting member.

3. In combination, a hollow drive shaft, a

clutch member secured thereto, a second clutch member including a sleeverotatably mounted on said shaft, clutch shifting mechanism including asleeve slidably mounted on 'said said clutch sleeve, means for supplying lubricant through the shaft to said sleeves, and means for returningexcess lubrl'icant from the sleeves to its source of sup-= p 4. Incombination, a hollow driving shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch to connectsaid shafts having a release bearing, a'source of lubricant, means tolubricate the release bearing from said source through the hollow shaft,and means to return lubricant from the bearing to said source.

5. In combination, a crankcase and crankshaft carried thereby, a clutchmember secured to said crankshaft, a second clutch member rotatablymounted on said crankshaft, means for conducting lubricant to thebearing of said crankshaft 1n said crankcase, means for conductinglubricant from said bearing to the bearin of said second clutch memberon said cran shaft, and means for returning lubricant from said lastnamed bearing to said crankcase.

6. In combination, a hollow drive shaft adapted to contain lubricant, aclutch mem ber secured thereto, a second clutch mem ber including asleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for associating the clutchmembers in power transmitting relation, a release bearing adapted toretract said means, and means for supplying lubricant from the hollowshaft to said sleeve and said release bearing.

' 7. In combination, a hollow drive shaft, a clutch membersecured-thereto, a second clutch member including a sleeve journaled onsaid shaft, a' source of lubricant supply, means for conductinglubricantfrom said source through the hollow shaft to the sleeve and means forreturning lubricant from he sleeve to said source.

In stimony whereof-I aflix my signature,

ALFRED- MOORHOUSE.

